Sprinkler irrigation has over the years replaced many other forms of irrigation methods because it minimizes erosion, prevents many drainage problems, does not require land leveling, and provides light application of moisture for irrigating crops.
Sprinkler systems are typically classified by the degree of their portability. For example, there are permanent systems, fully portable systems which can be moved from one field to another, and semi-portable systems where the piping is movable but the pumping plant is in a fixed location.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,302,445 to Kugele et al. entitled “Irrigation Pipe System” (hereinafter, Kugele et al.), the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein, discloses a prior art portable irrigation pipe system. With reference to FIGS. 10 and 11 thereof, the irrigation system includes a tubular coupler member for coupling a pair of pipes together, a riser adapter extending from the coupler member, a riser cap threadably coupled to the riser adapter, a shaft seal disposed within the riser cap, and a sprinkler riser with a riser lock member welded thereon for interlocking with the riser cap to secure the sprinkler riser to the tubular coupler member. Kugele et al.'s system, specifically the inner diameter of the riser adapter, dictates the specific size of sprinkler riser that can be coupled to the tubular coupler member. For example, the commercial embodiment of Kugele's design, marketed as the CERTA-SET™ lateral piping system by CertainTeed Corp. of Valley Forge, Pa., is designed for ½″ metal riser pipes. At present, no coupling mechanism exists for coupling sprinkler risers of larger sizes, such as ¾″ riser pipes, to the tubular coupler of Kugele et al.
An alternative system for coupling a sprinkler riser to a tubular coupler member, such as that disclosed in Kugele et al., is desired.